***Official Political Discussion Thread***

[osh kosh bosh]

Please explain the economic benefit of ending mask mandates. Because you said it but didn't explain how it would

if you think some people are doing it for partisan signaling. I don't think there is any proof of this happening in large numbers or affecting the economy. But regardless there are still probably people that are concerned with catching covid or giving it to a family member so they are not gonna do certain activities until they feel safe. People's views on this stuff are probably already baked in, so matter what Democratic mayors think it won't change things until Covid becomes better. When Biden changed the mask mandates, before Delta, a lot of people on the left didn't listen to him. Hell, I was one of them.

No economist I have read on the situation we are in lists ending mask mandates as something that would help the macroeconomy in any measurable way.

Again, the antivirals are not gonna be available for widespread use until winter, probably into the next wave. So at best we are looking at Spring time for them to be truly transformative

And they should probably be used as sparingly as possible

I just don't think the cost-benefit analysis is working out the way you think

the sectors of the economy hardest hit by covid are service areas like bars, restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, concerts, live events, tourism ect. no?
I think there are people who don't want to patronize these services if they need to wear a mask, like gyms, movie theaters
or they are afraid of catching covid

but a genuine Fear of catching covid doesn't make much sense to me,
given that as a vaccinated person your risk of severe complications from covid or roughly similar to the flu

plus if the mask really is important, then you should be wearing an N95 mask, not a fabric cloth one

DC has one of the highest vaccination rates in the country.

the opposition to these things to me read more like a certain amount of partisan signalling.
so I think if prominent Dem leaders make it clear, hey this mask stuff is over go to a movie theater, bar restaraunt.

might help people feel like things are going back to normal, and feel more free to resume normal economic activity.

 

[RustyShackleford]

the sectors of the economy hardest hit by covid are service areas like bars, restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, concerts, live events, tourism ect. no?
I think there are people who don't want to patronize these services if they need to wear a mask, like gyms, movie theaters
or they are afraid of catching covid

but a genuine Fear of catching covid doesn't make much sense to me,
given that as a vaccinated person your risk of severe complications from covid or roughly similar to the flu

plus if the mask really is important, then you should be wearing an N95 mask, not a fabric cloth one

DC has one of the highest vaccination rates in the country.

the opposition to these things to me read more like a certain amount of partisan signalling.
so I think if prominent Dem leaders make it clear, hey this mask stuff is over go to a movie theater, bar restaraunt.

might help people feel like things are going back to normal, and feel more free to resume normal economic activity.

I think people hyper afraid of covid, and also those that a hyper-aware of the covid situations.

No matter what Dems say, they won't base their decisions based on that. They will base their decision on the actual covid situation

Trump told people to get vaccinated. He got booed for saying that on stage.

I feel dropping the mask mandates will affect the behavior of the holdouts the most if it is done at a time when the pandemic really seems to be about to be over.

 

[frshstunna]

the sectors of the economy hardest hit by covid are service areas like bars, restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, concerts, live events, tourism ect. no?
I think there are people who don't want to patronize these services if they need to wear a mask, like gyms, movie theaters
or they are afraid of catching covid

but a genuine Fear of catching covid doesn't make much sense to me,
given that as a vaccinated person your risk of severe complications from covid or roughly similar to the flu

plus if the mask really is important, then you should be wearing an N95 mask, not a fabric cloth one

DC has one of the highest vaccination rates in the country.

the opposition to these things to me read more like a certain amount of partisan signalling.
so I think if prominent Dem leaders make it clear, hey this mask stuff is over go to a movie theater, bar restaraunt.

might help people feel like things are going back to normal, and feel more free to resume normal economic activity.

Ppl in the DC area legit don’t mind the masks, I’m in the area it’s nothing…The mask issue has already been decided and nothing the Democrats do will change that…That issue not swinging many voters in this country at this point

 

[RustyShackleford]

Real talk, I am not looking forward to engaging with some parts of the service economy again

I got a two-year break but I know in 2022 my girl gonna be dragging me to musicals, corny-*** art exhibits, and an overpriced brunch events.

My black *** doesn't want to go pumpkin picking again.

 

[elpablo21]

BBB is now 30% of what it was originally planned to be

Bruh, enough is ****ing enough

This **** is disgusting.

We all should be thankful that it's more than "nothing" doe

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Real talk, I am not looking forward to engaging with some parts of the service economy again

I got a two-year break but I know in 2022 my girl gonna be dragging me to musicals, corny *** art exhibits, and an overpriced brunch event.

My black *** doesn't want to go pumpkin picking again.

i can assure you i did not chose to go to a candle lit violin performance of Vivaldi.
im an out of touch costal elite, but that def wasn't my vibe,

the things we do for love my friend.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

This **** is disgusting.

We all should be thankful that it's more than "nothing" doe

you can send your thank you letters to joe machin's house boat;
he loves to hear from his grateful admirers.

 

[TooOlfForThisIsh]

Well I think Muriel Bowser is right to end the mask mandate in DC y'all got a super high vaccination rate,

I don't see the point in making people walk around in ineffective cloth masks.

I think blue state democratic mayor's should feel pretty confident in getting rid of mask mandates. I find it really hard to believe when the covid pill is released and covid roughly equivalent to the flu

Hard core pro mask Democrats are going to be voting base on a mask mandate you ended earlier than some Dems would like.

I don't think there's much evidence that COVID will be equivalent to the flu any time soon.

I also don't think that my neighbors will stop making a big deal about mask wearing even if mandates go away here. People who wear their masks alone in a car with rolled up windows don't really care about mandates to begin with.

And I'm not sure that many local businesses will completely base their own mask policies on what is law. There have been fluctuations on civil mask regulations throughout the pandemic, but most local businesses seem to stick to their guns.

So I'm not sure what the actual changes in behavior are going to be. People aren't entirely rational. I know the risks to my unvaccinated 2 year old are statistically small. I have most f a PhD in probability theory. But I still won't put him in an airplane.

And if there's no net change in much behavior, I don' t know if you lower the climate any. And that's without even talking Fox News, etc.

Anyways, I do agree with you that there's not a lot to gain politically by keeping the mandates. I think Democratic mayors have generally followed the advice of experts. As far as I know, they continue to do so. Sometimes governing trumps politics.

 

[TooOlfForThisIsh]

Ppl in the DC area legit don’t mind the masks, I’m in the area it’s nothing…The mask issue has already been decided and nothing the Democrats do will change that…That issue not swinging many voters in this country at this point

I agree with DM... I'm less confident about V. Not a ton of mask wearing near work in Tysons

 

[TooOlfForThisIsh]

My black *** doesn't want to go pumpkin picking again.

My son's grandparents live in El Paso, TX, and there are few things sadder than a pumpkin patch in the desert. I guess casinos are.

 

[RustyShackleford]

If Joe Manchin does all this, then chooses to retire and not run for reelection, some needs to put hands on him

Not just a punch, Chuck needs to acquire a guava branch, drag his *** behind the Lincoln Memorial and make that man regret he killed the Medicare Dental expansion

 

[osh kosh bosh]

I don't think there's much evidence that COVID will be equivalent to the flu any time soon.

How Does This End? (Published 2021)

Thinking about Covid and normalcy.

www.nytimes.com

I also don't think that my neighbors will stop making a big deal about mask wearing even if mandates go away here. People who wear their masks alone in a car with rolled up windows don't really care about mandates to begin with.

And I'm not sure that many local businesses will completely base their own mask policies on what is law. There have been fluctuations on civil mask regulations throughout the pandemic, but most local businesses seem to stick to their guns.

So I'm not sure what the actual changes in behavior are going to be. People aren't entirely rational. I know the risks to my unvaccinated 2 year old are statistically small. I have most f a PhD in probability theory. But I still won't put him in an airplane.

And if there's no net change in much behavior, I don' t know if you lower the climate any. And that's without even talking Fox News, etc.

Anyways, I do agree with you that there's not a lot to gain politically by keeping the mandates. I think Democratic mayors have generally followed the advice of experts. As far as I know, they continue to do so. Sometimes governing trumps politics.

I think partisan brain effects democrats as well as republicans,
I think there is def some people holding on to masks and social distancing because it's what a democrat is supposed to do


but i think if prominent democrats change their tune, that will have an impact.
we are human beings, there are not that many people doing hardcore cost benefit calculations.
most are just rolling with the tribe, and if the tribe leadership changes course, they'll change also with time.

 

[dinyc3st]

That judge deserves all types of Karma coming his way

 

[had pants]

 

[uncalled4boy]

I Found It Odd DC Is Ending The Mask Mandate Indoors But Nothing New For Me. Still Wearing One And Somewhat Shocked When I Dont See Folks With Them On.

 

[IATT]

 

[Nike Jordan]

Zuby is an anti-vax moron.

 

[dinyc3st]

 

[dinyc3st]

Joined August 2021

What was your previous screen name?

“Blocked”

 

[gry60]

He can help the party, help poor people, and still look good

Look good to who? The guy is looking plenty good to billionaires already.

Joe Manchin told us he was OK with $0 spent towards social policies. That alone should let us know what he values, and it certainly isn't the well-being of the people of WV or the Democratic base.

Not just a punch, Chuck needs to acquire a guava branch, drag his *** behind the Lincoln Memorial and make that man regret he killed the Medicare Dental expansion

Chuck won't do **** because the Democratic party needs Joe Manchin more than he needs them. They need that legislative victory to campaign on, and it all depends on Manchin, a man whose chance to win his seat back depends on how opposed he is to Democrats' legislative goals. That should have never happened. A good party leader should've anticipated that and taken steps to limit the influence of such a member.

 

[Nike Jordan]

 

[RustyShackleford]

Look good to who? The guy is looking plenty good to billionaires already.

Joe Manchin told us he was OK with $0 spent towards social policies. That alone should let us know what he values, and it certainly isn't the well-being of the people of WV or the Democratic base.

The people of WV

My post was about how illogical he is being because he doesn't need to talk a hit with the voter base if he plays it right

Chuck won't do **** because the Democratic party needs Joe Manchin more than he needs them. They need that legislative victory to campaign on, and it all depends on Manchin, a man whose chance to win his seat back depends on how opposed he is to Democrats' legislative goals. That should have never happened. A good party leader should've anticipated that and taken steps to limit the influence of such a member.

That post was joke regarding if Joe Manchin does not run for reelection

He was thinking about retiring from the Senate before 2018

So if he puts the Dems through all this just to retire, him people should really wild out on dude.

Anyway, on the way you prevent such people from having so much power is to have more seats. The Dems simply don't have the numbers, no amount of Party leadership maneuvering can overcome that. If the Dems won a representative share of power based on their votes, no one would be talking about Manchin

 

[dwalk31]

Any updates on the EV credits?

 

[fargin]

Probably doesn't qualify as politics.

 

[elpablo21]

you can send your thank you letters to joe machin's house boat;
he loves to hear from his grateful admirers.